Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center’s (CWCC) phone lines were ringing nonstop on February 19, with calls pouring in about injured wildlife. From the hotline team to the transport volunteers, everyone was busy responding to emergencies — when one unusual call made a volunteer drop everything and rush to the door.

A concerned caller reported an opossum’s head was protruding from a small hole in their roof, and she appeared completely stuck. CWCC transporter Sonia and her dad didn’t hesitate, instantly jumping in the car and racing over. When they arrived, they quickly realized the situation was even more complicated than they’d expected.

“An opossum had made her way into an attic where she then tried to get out of a tiny hole and got her head stuck!” CWCC wrote on Facebook.

The opossum was fully trapped. She had managed to squeeze her head through the hole, but the rest of her body couldn’t follow. And each time she tried to pull free, the hole tightened around her neck.

Thankfully, she was still breathing, and the father-daughter rescue team got to work right away. After some careful maneuvering, they were finally able to free her. They quickly brought her back to CWCC’s headquarters, where they learned she’d been hiding an adorable secret.

“It wasn’t clear if she was injured, so the rehab team was asked to stay late for the emergency intake,” CWCC wrote. “Upon exam what do we find … [Sonia] and her dad had not only saved one opossum but rather an entire opossum family!”

When the veterinary team checked the opossum’s pouch, they found a litter of joeys. It’s something they always do when examining an opossum, even if the aminal has sadly passed away.

In this case, discovering her babies was a reminder of why it’s so important for people to know that opossums in distress may not be alone. There could be more than one life that needs help.

“The last photo shows the location of an opossum’s pouch should you come across a deceased opossum — this is where to look for babies,” CWCC wrote. “Be the crazy person who stops to check opossum pouches!”